French Breakfast: Theory

       In opposition to Full British breakfast, French one is called "continental breakfast": usually a cup of coffee or tea or chocolate with some bread and cheese or meat. French breakfast is quite different from the English one. As described in the book by Maugham Three Fat Women of Antibes, "In front of Beatrice was a plate of croissants and a plate of butter, a pot of strawberry jam, coffee and a jug of cream. Beatrice was spreading butter thick cream over all."

     In the 18th century, breakfast was more substantial with meat, eggs, fruits, cheese, bread, butter or paté. However, it was quite expensive so more often eaten by rich upper-middle class people. The poorest people had for breakfast some soup with bread for example. However, breakfast was often neglected in poor class people. 

      In the 19th in France, coffee was more introduced to people, before that it was considered as a medicine for its energetic properties. Almost everyone from this point had a cup of coffee for breakfast. However, another way to drink coffee was and still is with some milk with it, Parisians call it café au lait.  Breakfast was still expensive and people who cannot pay for fruits or butter usually just ate bread with their coffee. 

     Usually, the difference between the full English breakfast and the continental one is the flaviour, the continental one is sweet: hot drinks such as tea or chocolate or sweet coffee (as opposed to strong coffee drunk during the rest of the day), with tartines of Baguette with butter and jam or marmalade or chocolate or biscuits and orange juice or other fruits juice during the week when people do not have the time to have a big breakfast. During the week end or holiday, pastries (croissant, pain au chocolat, pain au raisin, madeleine...) may be added to standard breakfast. Sometimes, people also add a yogurt or some cereals like muesli or fruits or brioche instead of baguette.  Another French element for breakfast might be the use of the bowl instead of the cup as English people would prefer. 

     We can read in The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book the recipes of the strawberry jam and of the croissant which is quite difficult to make (p.268-269): 

Croissants: 

"Heat 1/2 cup milk. When it is warm mix into it 1 package of compressed yeast. Sift 1 cup flour and mix the yeast to make a sponge. Allow to rise, for about 1/2 hour. Sift 3 cups flour into a large bowl. Put the yeast at the bottom in the centre of the bowl and gradually work in 3 cups milk and the flour. Put aside until it has risen to twice its size. Then place it on a lightly floured board and knead thoroughly until the dough no longer sticks to the hands. Roll out and place 1/4 cup butter, which has been worked with the hands into a square, in the centre, fold the dough from the sides to meet the centre. Roll with the hands into a ball and keep in a cool place for several hours or even for the night. Then roll out again divide into pieces the size of an egg. Roll each one into a cylinder and put aside for 10 minutes. Then very lightly roll them out to 1/3 inch thickness. Roll from one corner, bend into the shape of croissants and put aside for 35 minutes. Place on a lightly buttered baker sheet, paint with pastry brush dipped in slightly beaten eggs mixed with 1 tablespoon water. Bake in preheated 425 degrees oven. "